The Dream could not hold a 16-point lead and fell to the Storm 68-67 Thursday night in Seattle.
Rhyne Howard scored 20 points and Allisha Gray added 17 points for the Dream (15-14). Aari McDonald had 10 points off the bench.
Jewell Loyd converted a three-point play with 13.1 seconds left for the Storm. Loyd finished with 19 points on 5-of-20 shooting for Seattle (8-21). Ezi Magbegor had 17 points and 12 rebounds and Sami Whitcomb had 11 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Seattle opened the fourth quarter with a 13-2 run to get within 62-60.
Following Loyd’s go-ahead basket, the Dream turned it over and Whitcomb made two free throws with 5.1 seconds left to give Seattle a 68-64 lead. Howard capped the scoring with a 3-pointer.
With losses by the Dream and Minnesota, New York clinched a playoff spot for the third consecutive season. The Liberty became the second team to secure a playoff spot — with 12 games remaining in the regular season.
Seattle announced Wednesday that forward Gabby Williams would be sidelined for at least a month with a stress fracture in her left foot.
